Stan’s the man in Ballybrit
THE Tony Martin stable ended something of a lean spell when the well backed 4/1 favourite Quick Jack stayed on stoutly up the hill to land the featured Connacht Hotel Handicap on the opening evening of the Galway summer festival at Ballybrit on Monday.
Martin, who turned out nine winners at last year’s meeting, also had the added satisfaction of landing the first-day highlight for the second year running after Edeymi’s success in 2013 and, once again, Steven Clements was the man on board.
Off the track since sent finishing third in the Boylesports Hurdle at Leopardstown in January, Quick Jack began to make smooth progress down the hill as veteran Fosters Cross and Gambling Girl put the pace to the two-mile handicap for amateur riders.
Approaching the home turn, second favourite Grecian Tiger from the Dermot Weld yard took up the running, but Clements and Quick Jack were travelling ominously well in behind and the partnership settled the issue inside the final furlong to win going away by three lengths.
Martin was naturally thrilled afterwards: “He’s a right little horse, hasn’t been out of the first three and he never lets us down. Quick Jack always runs a great race and the most important thing is that he has a big heart. We have been patient with him and it paid off today.”
A crowd of 18,938 – up almost a 1,000 on last year – flocked to Ballybrit on Monday, but it proved a largely unprofitable evening for punters as the Weld operation didn’t make their traditionally flying start to the festival despite saddling four market leaders.
Having dominated the meeting for the best part of three decades, Weld had to be content with a lone success when 3/1 Timiyan readily obliged under a strong ride from Pat Smullen in the Pillo Hotel Handicap after wearing down the front-running Resiliency.
The setbacks for the King of Ballybrit began in the opening novice hurdle on the card. Weld was seeking to win the race for fourth time in five years, but jumping debutant Manhattan Swing didn’t really threaten to take a hand in the finish despite the urgings of Davy Russell.
It was left to the Willie Mullins trained McKinley to follow up his recent victory in Sligo and Paul Townend’s mount was doing his best work near the line despite drifting towards the stand rail. Denis Hogan’s Ridestan and Morga completed the placings.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.